1. The Field of the Invention
Implementations of the present invention relate generally to drilling systems and related methods. In particular, implementations of the present invention relate to a drill rod guide for aiding in aligning drill rods.
2. The Relevant Technology
In conventional drilling systems, a drill string may include a series of connected drill rods. The drill rods may be assembled section-by-section to advance the drill string into a formation. In further detail, the drill string may be connected to a drill head or other driving mechanism configured to advance the drill string to a desired depth in the formation. The driving mechanism may, for example, advance the drill string until a trailing portion of the drill string is proximate an opening of a borehole formed by the drill string.
After the drill string is at a desired depth, a grip (such as a foot clamp) may grasp the drill string, which may help prevent inadvertent loss of the drill string down the borehole. With the clamp grasping the drill string, the driving mechanism may be disconnected from the drill string. An additional drill rod may then be connected to the driving mechanism and to a drill rod that forms the trailing portion of the drill string. After such connection, the clamp's grasp on the drill string may be released, and the driving mechanism may advance the drill string further into the formation to a greater desired depth. This process of grasping the drill string, disconnecting the driving mechanism, connecting an additional drill rod, releasing the grasp, and advancing the drill string to a greater depth may be repeatedly performed to drill deeper and deeper into the formation.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult and/or awkward to properly align and connect the additional drill rod to the drill rod that forms the trailing portion of the drill string. When not properly aligned, the pin end (male end) of a drill rod can stab into the box end (female end) and cause permanent damage. This damage can create leakage ranging from negligible to significant, depending upon the degree of damage. Severe damage can compromise the fit of the joint and potentially cause fatigue failures.
Conventional methods for aligning drill rods often require an operator to manually align the drill rods. Manually aligning the additional drill rod to the drill rod that forms the trailing portion of the drill string can be dangerous. For example, operators can easily smash their fingers between the drill rods when trying to align the drill rods. Additionally, due to the nature of many drilling sites, it is not uncommon for a drill rod to move in an unpredictable manner or unintentionally fall from the drill mast, possibly resulting in injury to the operator attempting to align the drill rods.
Accordingly, there are a number of disadvantages in conventional drilling systems that can be addressed.